CHAPTER 12
1 And in the same time Herod the king sent power, [or hands], (or his men), to torment some men of the church.
2 And he slew by (the) sword James, the brother of John.
3 And he saw that it pleased to the Jews, and cast to take also Peter; and the days of therf loaves were. (And he saw that it pleased the Jews, and sent forth men to take hold of Peter; and it was during the Days, or the Feast, of Unleavened Bread.)
4 And when he had caught Peter, he sent him into prison; and betook him to four quaternions of knights, to keep him, and would after pask bring him forth to the people. (And when he had caught Peter, he put him into prison; and gave him over to four squads of four soldiers each, to guard him, and intended after Passover to bring him before the people.)
5 And Peter was kept in prison; but prayer was made of the church without ceasing to God for him (or but prayer without ceasing was made by the church to God for him).
6 But when Herod should bring him forth, in that night Peter was sleeping betwixt two knights, and was bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prison. (But on the night before Herod would bring him before the people, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, and was bound with two chains; and the guards outside at the door, or at the gate, kept watch over the prison.)
7 And lo! an angel of the Lord stood nigh, and light shone in the prison house. And when he had smitten the side of Peter, he raised, [or waked], him, and said, Rise thou swiftly. And anon the chains felled down from his hands (or And at once the chains fell off his hands).
8 And the angel said to him, Gird thee, and do on thine hoses. And he did so. And he said to him, Do about thee thy clothes, and (pur)sue me (or and follow me).
9 And he went out, and (pur)sued him; and he wist not that it was sooth, that (it) was done by the angel, (or And he went out, and followed him; and he knew not that it was true, that it was done by the angel); for he guessed himself to have seen a vision.
10 And they passed the first and the second ward, and came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city, which anon (or at once) was opened to them, [or the which willfully, (or on its own accord), is opened to them]. And they went out, and came [forth] into one street, and anon (or at once) the angel passed away from him.
11 And Peter turned again to himself, and said, Now I know verily (or Now I truly know), that the Lord sent his angel, and delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from all the abiding of the people of (the) Jews.
12 And he beheld, and came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, that is named Mark, where many were gathered together, and praying.
13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel [or a wench], Rhoda by name, came forth to see (who it was).
14 And when she knew the voice of Peter, for joy she opened not the gate, but ran in, and told (them), that Peter stood at the gate.
15 And they said to her, Thou maddest [or Thou art mad]. But she affirmed, that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.
16 But Peter abode still, and knocked. And when they had opened the door, they saw him, and wondered.
17 And he beckoned to them with his hand to be still, and told how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, Tell ye to James and to the brethren these things. And he went out, and went into another place (or and went to another place).
18 And when the day was come, there was not little troubling among the knights, what was done of Peter. (And when the daylight had come, there was a great deal of concern among the soldiers, about what had become of Peter.)
19 And when Herod had sought him, and found (him) not, after that he had made inquiring of the keepers, he commanded them to be brought to him, (or And when Herod had them search for him, and he was not found, after that he had questioned the guards, he commanded that they be put to death). And he came down from Judea into Caesarea, and dwelled there.
20 And he was wroth to (the) men of Tyre and of Sidon. And they of one accord came to him, when they had counselled with Blastus, that was the king’s chamberlain, (and) they asked (for) peace, for as much as their countries (or their provinces) were victualed of him [or were nourished by him].
21 And in a day that was ordained, Herod was clothed with king’s clothing, and sat for doomsman, and spake to them, (or and sat as judge, and spoke to them).
22 And the people cried, The voice of God, and not of man.
23 And anon an angel of the Lord smote him, for he had not given honour to God; and he was wasted of worms, and died. (And at once an angel of the Lord struck him, for he had not given honour to God; and he was wasted by worms, and died.)
24 And the word of the Lord waxed, (or grew, or spread), and was multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul turned again from Jerusalem, when the ministry was [ful] filled, and (they) took John, that was named Mark. (And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when their service, or work, was completed, and they took John, who was called Mark, with them.)